It is well known to form coreless paper roll products, such as rolls of toilet tissue, on mandrels having cross-sectional configurations of predetermined types. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,279, issued Dec. 10, 1974, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,226, issued Dec. 24, 1974, both disclosed methods and apparatus wherein coreless rolls are formed by winding webs of tissue or other paper types directly upon round winding mandrels.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,378, issued Dec. 11, 1984, discloses a coreless toilet paper roll having a center hole which is formed by winding toilet paper on a winding shaft having a polygonal or gear-shaped section and then extracting the polygonal or gear-shaped winding shaft from the roll.
Of course, when winding mandrels are removed from wound tissue rolls or the like, a central aperture or hole is formed where the mandrel was located. However, the shape or cross-section of the central aperture may not always be suitable for the intended use of the roll product, as for example, when the hole is disturbed by sawing the cant into individual rolls.
The present invention provides a method and a means whereby the shape of the central aperture may be modified over at least a portion of the length thereof to better accommodate the paper roll to its intended use. For example, the central aperture or hole may be modified at only one side of the roll to make the roll right or left handed for correct installation in a dispenser or suitable for use with certain types of dispensers.
When carrying out the teachings of the present invention, a probe insertable into the central aperture is utilized to modify the shape of inner wound layers of the coreless roll. A search of the prior art located a number of patents directed to plugs, bushings, mandrels and the like which are inserted into the ends of rolls for various purposes, primarily improved support, but do not pertain to modifying the shape of the roll product central aperture upon removal of the mandrel, plug or other device. The patents located in the search are as follows: U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,362, issued Oct. 8, 1963, U.S. Pat. No. 3,519,216, issued Jul. 7, 1970, U.S. Pat. No. 1,459,596, issued Jun. 19, 1923, U.S. Pat. No. 1,408,126, issued Feb. 28, 1922, U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,530, issued Jul. 10, 1979, U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,837, issued Dec. 5, 1972, U.S. Pat. No. 3,355,121, issued Nov. 28, 1967, U.S. Pat. No. 2,697,563, issued Dec. 21, 1954, and European Patent Application Publication No. 48,975, published Apr. 7, 1982.